Biogazelle

Biogazelle was established in 2007 as Ghent University spin-off company. Its founders (Jo Vandesompele and Jan Hellemans) have more than 10 years of experience in real-time PCR experiment design, assay development and data- analysis. They wrote one of the most influential papers on normalization of gene expression and on data-analysis (together cited more than one 4000 times). Biogazelle has a long standing expertise in real- time PCR gene expression analysis, high-throughput technologies and related bio- informatic analyses (e.g. microarray based copy number profiling and gene expression analysis, and high-throughput mRNA, microRNA and other non-coding RNA RT-qPCR profiling). There is a multidisciplinary team consisting of engineers, biotechnologists, and bio-informaticians.

Biogazelle will measure the expression levels of microRNA genes in tissues and body fluids using high-through and state-of-the-art RT-qPCR technology based on the stem-loop reverse transcription priming method, in combination with a validated sample pre-amplification method. Biogazelle will also do the primary data-analysis and help with biomarker discovery.

WP 4: expression analysis of the majority of all human microRNA genes in tissue and body fluids from patients and controls, followed by candidate biomarker discovery.

WP 6: upgrade of the measurement platform by development and validation of custom multiplex reverse transcription primer pool and pre-amplification primer pools; development of optimal sample processing procedures.